Essay on Sheep. 1$1 



*^ nimble; his wool should be thick and deep, 

 " covering his belly all over, also his face, even 

 *' to his nostrils, and so downward to his knees 

 " and thighs/' One would conclude from this 

 description, that Markham, who wrote in the 

 reign of Elizabeth> had copied from one of the 

 Spanish rams imported by Edward IV. for no 

 sheep in England answers to his model. 



Folding, — I have passed over all observations 

 on folding, because it is very little practised in 

 this State; and wherever it is> it tends to the 

 deterioration of the flock; and from experi- 

 ments accurately made by Mr. L'Hommedieu, 

 on Long-Island, it appears that the loss in wool, 

 and injury to the sheep and lambs, exceeded 

 the gain in manure. 



Signs of health, — Signs of health in sheep are 

 first a skittish briskness, clear azure eye, florid 

 ruddy eye-strings and gums, teeth fast, breath 

 sweet, nose and eyes dry, respiration free and 

 regular, feet cool, dung substantial, wool fast 

 and unbroken, skin of a fine florid red, particu- 

 larly on the brisket. Lawrence on Cattle, p. 337. 



Season of la7nbs falling, and food, — The season 

 for putting the tups to the ewes depends upon 

 the time it is wished to have the lambs fall; on 

 that subject I have given my sentiments. The 

 tups should be ^^'ell fed in the season, barley 



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